DSHS is improving behavioral health care for patients by constructing a therapeutically designed hospital on the Western State Hospital campus with 350 beds. The hospital will serve as a Forensic Center of Excellence, focusing on providing state-of-the-art care for patients, operating in an environment of care that supports safety and the delivery of evidenced-based and proven practices. The facility will work hand in hand with local academic institutions to support research and innovation. Although hospital construction required demolishing some buildings on the WSH campus, the new hospital facility will augment, not replace, the majority of the existing WSH structures. Construction of the new hospital began in the summer of 2025, and it is expected to be completed in 2028. Check out our latest construction photos.
Conceptual design for the new forensic hospital by HOK with Architecture +
Our patients
The 350-bed facility is intended to serve patients who enter care through the criminal court system. Outside of the new hospital, the Western State Hospital campus will continue to care for both civil and forensic patients. When the new hospital is complete, WSH expects to serve primarily forensic patients and continue to serve a small population of civil patients whose needs are difficult to meet in the community.
Our program
Patients in the new forensic hospital will receive treatment, therapy, and services similar to those offered in our current forensic program. As the new hospital progresses toward becoming a Forensic Center of Excellence, the best practices developed will be shared with other forensic programs at both Western and Eastern state hospitals.
At the forensic hospital, a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other trained professionals will work together to provide individualized care and treatment. Working with the patient (or patient representative), the team will develop a treatment plan addressing individual psychiatric treatment needs, social and family supports, medical care needs, and vocational and legal issues. Families will be encouraged to participate with the patient's consent.
We will continue to provide services and activities that are respectful to people across all cultures and backgrounds. These services include:
- Initial intake and evaluation
- Medical screening, psychiatric screening, and risk screening
- Psychological, biological, and social evaluation
- Treatment and therapy
Our goal is to stabilize psychiatric symptoms and improve the person’s mental status and behavior.
Patients who are discharged will receive discharge plans that are individualized with the support to meet their needs in the community. These include wraparound services such as medication management, case management and medical care. Discharged patients will receive a well-coordinated handoff to their next locations.
Security
The new hospital building will be a fully locked facility. Staff will control all entrances and exits. Outdoor spaces for patients will be enclosed, as the new facility will take advantage of its three-story building perimeter to enclose outdoor courtyards. Staff will be trained in de-escalation strategies and emergency management processes to provide a safe, secure, and therapeutic environment. The new hospital facility will be covered by new agreements similar to current WSH agreements with local law enforcement to provide assistance as needed.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why is the new hospital being built in Lakewood?
A: The new forensic hospital structure is being built to serve current and future Western State Hospital patients. The new facility will be a part of the larger WSH campus, and will integrate into WSH’s programs, services and logistical support. As a part of WSH, the new hospital facility is well-positioned to serve patients requiring treatment and services, and to attract qualified physicians and staff. In addition, the Washington State Legislature directed that the new hospital be built on the current WSH campus.
Q: Will the new hospital expand the number of patients served at Western State Hospital?
A: The master plan does not call for an expansion of care at Western State Hospital. While there is a planned shift in focus from civil to forensic patients, the overall patient numbers will be less than the current number of patients served at WSH. Also, as noted in the master plan (Table 8), over 500,000 square feet of existing facilities are planned to be demolished, roughly offsetting the area of the planned new building. However, the master plan does include the potential for an additional 18 beds at the Child Study and Treatment Center and an additional 48-bed residential treatment facility onsite.
Q: What will the facility look like?
A: The new hospital is designed to support compassionate, evidence-based behavioral health care for people involved in the criminal court system. Focused on recovery and rehabilitation, the facility blends patient and staff safety with a therapeutic atmosphere. Highlights of the project include:
- State-of-the-art behavioral health treatment rooted in research and best practices.
- A new electronic health record.
- A zero-net energy design that reduces environmental impact and operating costs.
- Thoughtful integration with nature to promote healing and well-being.
Organized into small, 25-bed neighborhood patient units, the hospital design features five open courtyards and elevated walkways that encourage movement, daylight, and connection to nature, embodying a “walk in the park,” therapeutic approach. Eleven old buildings were removed for the new facility, which enhances rather than replaces the existing hospital campus.
Q: What measures are being taken for patient and community safety?
A: The new 350-bed forensic hospital design and programs are being designed with a focus on creating therapeutic, safe environments. The hospital will be a fully locked facility, with staff controlling entrances and exits. Outdoors spaces for patients will be enclosed by, as the new facility will take advantage of its three-story building perimeter to enclose outdoor courtyards. Staff will be trained in de-escalation strategies and emergency management processes to minimize calls to law enforcement and the fire department. The new hospital facility will be covered by new agreements similar to the current WSH agreements with local law enforcement to provide assistance as needed.
Q: What is the timeline for this project?
A: The new hospital is slated for construction to be complete in 2028 or 2029. The construction began in 2025.
Q: How will traffic be affected by construction?
A: WSH worked with the City of Lakewood and the Historical Steilacoom School District to minimize negative traffic impacts created by the access and egress of construction vehicles. The City of Lakewood is working to make improvements to Steilacoom Boulevard independent of the WSH construction. DSHS is working with the city to ensure construction traffic does not impede these improvements to Steilacoom Boulevard, and to ensure any changes to entrances to WSH fit into city plans.
Learn more about WSH’s patient populations.